In my last post, I wrote about the strange things that shroud Turin in mystery. This time, I want to touch on its hidden gems.
The most likely destinations for visitors to Turin are the National Museum of Cinema and the Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum). The National Museum is housed in a memorable building called the Mole Antonelliana. It is constructed so that you are able to look down on the interior of the museum as you ascend to the upper floors. When you get to the top, you are treated to a must-see panoramic view of Turin. The museum is also simply known as the “film museum,” and it is packed with pieces of film history that are essential to movie fans, presented in a popular experiential exhibit style.
Then there is the Egyptian Museum, an important museum globally as it boasts the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts outside of Egypt. Of course that leads to the question, why Turin?
The House of Savoy, which once ruled Turin, established the museum as a symbol of knowledge in an effort to enhance their nation’s prestige and compete with places like France and England. Orientalism was an influential trend at the time which, in addition to Turin’s reputation for being an energetically-charged location that attracted mystery, probably made it the perfect match for the spiritual and mystical nature of ancient Egypt. The artifacts were the perfect way to put Turin on the map, so the city put all their effort into collecting them as a matter of national pride. In the process, the collection became one of the most extensive in the world, second only to those in Egypt itself.
Incidentally, while travelers won’t want to miss these famous landmarks in Turin, I was able to have a lovely experience appreciating art away from the crowds at somewhat minor museums as well—and I’d like to share these hidden gems here.
The first was the Museo d’Arte Orientale (Museum of Oriental Art), housed in a renovated 18th-century aristocratic manor in the city’s historical district. The exhibits are presented in an interesting way that showcases the Italian aesthetic.
The second is the Accorsi-Ometto Museum, located in central Turin. It is in a historical building that was once part of a monastery, but the antique dealer Accorsi gradually acquired it while publicly displaying his collection—eventually purchasing the entire structure.
Highlights at the Accorsi-Ometto Museum include a cabinet which is said to be the most beautiful piece of furniture in the world, and a collection of the Chinoiserie-style art popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. The most interesting thing they have is a ballot box that was used in electing the leader of the Venetian Republic. However, the most astonishing piece was a tortoiseshell tray that, when backlit by a switch, revealed a sinister pattern so striking that I felt as if I had been hit by lightning. The study even had a peephole so that the residents could size up visitors to see whether they wanted to receive them.
The conservative, moderate, and thoughtful nature of the people of Turin, rooted in their strong principles, can be found throughout this furniture museum.
